My heartbeat was erratic, Haziel moved away from my ear and our gazes became locked on one another. His arm was still fixed around my waist causing our bodies to cling together.
My head was hot, and my face did not lend a hand into obscuring that fact and showed my fluster with the amount of blood that had rushed up to it.
We stared at each other, locked in a stalemate before breaking free from the intense stares due to a clanging sound of metal hitting the floor. Haziel looked behind me and let go quickly.
I turned around to face the sound and saw Mia shuffling on the ground, attempting to pick up the portfolio with metal rings from the floor. "Do you need help?" Haziel asked, walking up to her from beside me, I was still a bit flustered from before and my mind was spinning with the question, Did she see us?
I bit my lip, regaining composure, then cautiously walked over to help the clumsy curator.
However, by the time I reached her, she had sorted herself and gotten up to her feet. I glanced at the stairs and spotted something, and walked over to pick up the right leg of her black, low, high-heeled shoes from the last step.
If that was there then she lost her footing from the stairs and possibly had not noticed Haziel and my little scene for before. I almost breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank you," Mia uttered solemnly as she took the heel from me.
"Are you hurt anywhere?" I asked with genuine concern, reaching out to her and placing my arm on her shoulder to support her.
Mia shook her head in response, having an awkward smile on her face.
"Your knees seemed to be bruised." It was Haziel that pointed that out with a straight face.
"Hmm?" Mia's eyes widened as she brought her foot forward and lowered my eye to have a look at the knee. Her bewildered expression soon turned into an upset one.
She hit the side of her head with her palm and uttered something under her breath.
"Don't hit yourself it was an accident." I tried to pacify her. She did no doubt curse herself for her clumsy behavior. My gaze turned toward Haziel.
Haziel said nothing further and with me assisting Mia, we all went back upstairs into Mia's office.
Haziel looked through the first aid kit she kept in her office as a precaution. He brought out an ointment and helped her apply it on her bruised knee.
I watched as he gently rubbed the cream on her knee with a complicated feeling building up in my chest.
I knew the origin of the feeling was admiration, but, somewhere along the lines, it felt like jealousy.
I had a fiancè and although I am unhappy with it, Jalen is still my fiancè.
Having or being with someone like Haziel who was admirable felt more like a fever dream. I accepted that long ago, but, now with this feeling in my chest, I wondered if I could truly be okay with it.
With the problematic sensation burning in my chest, I pulled out my phone from my purse and sent a chat to the driver waiting outside.
[ I'll be a while you can go and come back later.]
Within a minute the driver acknowledged my message
[ When should I come back?]
I stole a peek at Haziel as he locked the first aid box and kept it back in its corner, then glanced back at my phone screen.
[ In an hour or so.]
The driver, Nicolas, and I had a good tacit understanding. With that, he replied okay.
Haziel was done and squinted at me with curiosity filled in his eyes.
"You've seen the new stock is there something else you are waiting for," Haziel inquired, referring to the art in the storage.
I smiled at him but didn't dive into a response.
Haziel and I walked out of her office and towards the exit of the gallery. "You've been in deep thought for a while now, is there something wrong?"
"No... it's just we have unfinished business." I replied nervously.
"I was just teasing earlier, you don't owe me anything," Haziel countered casually while we strolled out of the gallery.
The weather was usually cold and dull most of the time around this time of the year, but, this afternoon the sunshine was bright and the atmosphere slightly warm.
"I know, I would still like to discuss something with you. I said I would make it up to you and I want to make good on that." I replied with finality. Once again Haziel's gaze was fixed on me. He gave no response for a good few seconds before shrugging.
"Okay."
"Great, maybe we could talk over lunch or coffee. I didn't bring a car so I'll ride with you if that's okay." I suggested with a smile plastered on my lips. Haziel observed me silently after my statement.
" I don't have a car, I can't drive," Haziel replied shoving one hand into his pocket.
That piece of information hit me with a splash and left me dumbfounded. I didn't account for that possibility when I requested Nicolas to drive away and take a break.
"Oh," I muttered under my breath, playing with my purse in hand.
"But there's a nice cafe a few blocks from here, we could walk?" I lifted my head at his proposal, slightly apprehensive.
I wasn't used to walking outdoors freely. Still, after much deliberation, I agreed.
The cafe truly was not far away, it was a 15-minute walk from the gallery. We had arrived in no time.
The walk was brief but pleasant as we made small talk. Just small talk. No mention of sponsorship or my royal status; It felt like a walk between two normal people, to say the least, it was a refreshing few minutes.
We sat by the corner of the cafe, not near a window. Haziel ordered black coffee, a complete contrast to the creamy mocha I ordered.
After taking a few sips letting the sweet taste cheer me up, I looked at Haziel and laid out my offer.
"You want me to donate my artwork?" He asked, his astonishment spilled through the tone of his voice.
"Mmmhhhmmm." I nodded bring the coffee cup to my lips and having another sip.
"I thought this was about you making it up to me and not the other way around." He scoffed, scrunching his eyebrows together.
"Yes, you haven't heard me out completely yet." I paused looking to see his expression.
His eyes told me to go on, so, I did.
"You can donate your works and through the charity event, you could get more sponsors. I assure you there are a lot of women who would be more than willing to throw money at you and your art. Also, it's free publicity." I explained.
Haziel looked unimpressed.
"Plus free drinks, and entertainment. I assure you with me and my best friend Kiera planning it, it would be a fun event. You won't be bored." I added attempting to convince him but earn his silence instead.
I was beginning to panic, if he didn't like the idea the party would lose its main luster as the theme I came up with was 'art and mystery'.
A masquerade event with art on display. I had thought it would be a win-win for both of us.
"It would be a masquerade thing, so there is no problem with your identity. There's also the fact that you would be doing a good thing for charity." I imputed, trying to touch on his better nature.
Instead of caving in to my desperate mutterings, he looked around the cafe and took a sip of his black coffee.
The thing was surely bitter but he offered no reaction to it.
I tapped my index finger on the table between him and me repeatedly waiting for a reply.
My lips parted to try another hand at convincing him when he finally said something.
"Is this charity event important to you?" He questioned this time appearing more serious.
I was struck speechless for a moment. I wasn't expecting that question.
"Ye... Yes, it is." I stuttered before finding myself.
I smiled inwardly, "it contributes to the majority of the funding my family's organization gets. It's also the only way to get most royals and noble clans to bring out of their pockets to help the less fortunate. Most only care about their money and power." I sighed at the end of my sentence.
"So you want to use me to weasel them out of their money?" Haziel asked with a skeptical tone. This time it was me who didn't respond.
Haziel met my eyes and broke into a grin. "Fine! I'll do it."
I smiled back at him awkwardly and looked back at my now empty cup of coffee, happy that he agreed to it.
My gaze then drifted to outside the window and caught a glimpse of a man in black staring at me. The moment he noticed I had spotted him, he turned away and moved out of the window frame immediately.
A frown formed on my lips.